In recent years, ionic liquids have been extensively evaluated as environmental-friendly or “green” alternatives to conventional organic solvents for a broad range of organic synthetic applications. Ionic liquids offer some unique characteristics that distinguish them from conventional organic solvents, such as no effective vapor pressure, a broad liquid range, high polarity and charge density, can be either hydrophobic or hydrophilic, and unique solvating properties.
One widely studied class of ionic liquids includes imidazolinium salts, such as butylmethylimidazolinium hexafluorophosphate, also known as BMIM/PF6. Other well known ionic liquids include N-1-ethyl 3-methylimidazolinum chloride aluminum (III) chloride, which is usually referred to as [emim]Cl—AlCl3; and N-butyl pyridinium chloride aluminum (III) chloride, which is usually referred to as [Nbupy]Cl—AlCl3. A broad range of ionic liquids have also been investigated in the following references: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,048,388; 5,827,602; US 2003/915735A1; US 2004/0007693A1; US 2004/0035293A1; WO 02/26701; WO 03/074494; WO 03/022812; and WO 04/016570.
Published PCT Application WO 2004/003120 discloses ionic liquid based products suitable for use in surface or air treating compositions, and ionic liquid cocktails containing three or more different and charged ionic liquid components. The products are particularly useful in various consumer product applications, such as home care, air care, surface cleaning, laundry and fabric care applications.
It is desirable to make advantageous uses of the various unique characteristics of the ionic liquid in additional applications.